Explosive compound.



Patented June 28, 1904.

CHARLES M. HALL, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.-

EXPLQSWE onus SPJEGXFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,665, dated June 28, 1904. Application filed August 22, 1903. Serial No. 170,469. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES M. HALL, of

Niagara Falls, Niagara county, New York,

lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

It is a Well-known fact that the expansion or gases on firing explosives is increased by any means which raises the temperature of the gases. For this purpose powdered aluminium has been used in admixture with oxidizing agents in certain explosives, the aluminium becoming oxidized to alumina during the firing by part of thedisposable oxygen present. The use of pure aluminium, however, is subject to disadvantages resulting from the great difiiculty and expense of reducing the aluminium to powder. In order to overcome this disadvantage and at the same time to obtain the metal in less expensive form than pure aluminium, I employ alloys of aluminium, particularly with heavy metals, such as iron, which can be readily ground to powder and pulverized to an extreme degree of fineness by ordinary means of pulverization. Any alloy of aluminium containing enough iron or similar heavy metal to render it brittle may be used. Thus an alloy containing forty per cent. of iron and sixty per cent. of aluminium may be readily pulverized by impact and afterward ground still finer by rolls or other pulverizing machinery. I prefer,

however, to use an alloy which contains more than simply aluminium and iron. The following is an analysis of an alloy which I have used and which gives good results: aluminium, 60.66 per cent; silicon, 6.70 per cent; titanium, .78 per cent.; iron, 29.95 per cent.; carbon, 1.91 percent. This alloy goes to powder spontaneously soon after being formed, and similar. alloys containing aluminium, silicon, and iron act in the same way.

In making up the explosive l have used nitrate of ammonium and the aluminium alloy. These are finely powdered separately and mixed together. The proportions are preferably such that one-third of the oxygen present in the nitrate of ammonium will form alumina with the aluminium present, and if silicon is present a corresponding amount should be allowed for itthat is, there should be suflicirmtnilrale of ammonium, so that one-third of its oxygen will oxidize both the aluminium and silicon to alumina and silica. The silicon acts like the aluminium and contributes to the explosivepower of the compound.

sively with the aluminium alloy, such as.

chlorate of potash or picric acid, either alone or in combination, may be substituted for the nitrate of ammonium.

The mixture is to be fired with a fulminating agent. It has substantially the advantages of aluminium explosive compound; but these advantages are obtained at a considerably less cost than as when pure aluminium is used. It may be used alone or in admixture with other suitable explosive compounds.

I claim 7 1. The herein-described explosive compound, consisting of a finely-divided brittle alloy containing aluminium and a heavier metal, and nitrate of ammonium; substantially as described.

2. The herein-described blasting agent,eonsisting of a finely-powdered brittle alloy containing aluminium and iron, and nitrate of ammonium; substantially as described.

3. The herein-described explosive compound, consisting of a finely-divided brittle alloy containing aluminium and a heavier metal, and an oxidizing agent; substantially as described. I p

4. The herein-described blastingagent,consisting of a finclyqioumlcred brittle alloy containing aluminium and iron, and an oxidizing agent; substantially as described.

5. The herein-described blasting agent,con-

sisting of a finely-powdered brittle alloy containing aluminium, iron and silicon, and nitratc of ammonium; substanti ally as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES M. llALL. Vitnesses:

WM. L. CLARK, Lieu li. Surru. 

